Railroad-cab



J. PEARSON.

Car Coupling.

Patented Jan. 26, 1858.

UNITED TATLTTP15TENT OFETCE,

JOHN PEARSON, O1 STERLING, IOIVA.

RAILROAD-CAR COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 19,204, dated January 26, 1858.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Jonx PEARSON, of Sterling, in the county of Jackson and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Car Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact. description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a top view of buffer head with my self disconnecting link inserted. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on line a :1 taken through axis of bolt.

Similar characters of reference in the several figures denote the same part.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of a self disconnecting coupling link, as hereinafter to be described.

In the drawing B is a buffer head of ordinary construction to which my improved link is adapted. The link consists of a piece of metal of bent form represented at a, to the extremities of which are hinged the arms 6 b by joints having interior projections as shown in Fig. 1. These arms are kept together by means of the spring 0, attached to said arms at (Z by a bolt passing through slots 6; This spring is bent inward by the j oints of arms 6 Z) and thereby acquires great strength, so as to force the arms I) I) together at their extremities, and hold them so firmly that far greater power will be required to separate them, than would be required to open a link composed of a single U spring. This renders the combination link as permanent for ordinary purposes as the common solid link, while at the same time it is capable of being opened when necessity requiries. The extremities of this spring conform to the shape of the link made up of the bent piece 0; and arms Z) Z).' Both arms Z) and spring 0 overlap as shown at f.

Attached to arms I) Z) are the lever rods h, running into pocket B, so as to be pressed against the pins i when the outer extremity of the link is drawn to either side. These pins 2' are so placed that the levers Will not touch them when turning the shortest curve of the road, which insures the connect-ion of the cars except one deviates from the track.

In operation, the coupling bolt passes through the extremity m of the link. If one of the cars thus disconnected, deviates from the track one of the levers it will press against one of the pins 2', and the end of the link opens so that the coupling bolt may slip out, and disconnect the cars.

I do not claim the use of a single spring link as a coupling, nor, do I claim draft pieces held together by an exterior spring. But

Vhat I do claim as new and of my own invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination link made up of spring a bent as specified, iron piece a and arms 7) Z), connected therewith by interior projecting joints, as described, when used in combina tion with the levers h and pins 2' 2', substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name before two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN PEARSON.

lVitnesses GEO. PATTEN, JOHN S. HoLLINesHEAo. 

